Social and ethical issues Students must study and evaluate the social and ethical issues involved in the use of the Internet. These may include: • reliability and authenticity of information • social consequences of addiction to the Internet • social impact of global viruses • social impact of dependence on the Internet • etiquette rules for appropriate behaviour when using the Internet • social impact of the domination of English as the main web language • social impact of theft of identity through the Internet • social impact of open access to unsuitable material on the Internet • ethical issues related to misuse of the Internet, for example, spamming • ethical considerations of IT-rich versus IT-poor nations as a result of differing access • ethical considerations relating to the use of encryption • ethical considerations relating to workplace monitoring.
Knowledge of technology In order to study and evaluate the social and ethical issues involved in the use of the Internet, the student must have an understanding of related technological concepts. These may include: • key terms—Internet protocols, for example, HTTP, FTP, TCP/IP, cookies, listserv, web cam, Internet languages, netiquette, Intranet, URL, hyperlink, bandwidth, WWW, browser, search engine, e-mail • means for blocking access to information • features of a web browser • comparison of Internet and Intranet • encryption methods • the limiting effect of bandwidth • e-mail • viruses • features of a web page • global databases • online services, e-commerce, banking, health, libraries • use of appropriate search engines.
Key terms
Internet protocols
HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) -- the protocol via which the world wide web is communicated
FTP (File Transfer Protocol) -- The protocol via which files are transferred across the Internet
TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) -- the protocol via which data is transferred between computers on a network
Cookies -- a text file that a web site stores on a user's computer to store settings and other information that a web site could use to improve an end user's experience
Listserv -- a tool that allows for sending of one e-mail to a single address and having it be redirected to several other addresses
Webcam -- a small camera that a user places on their computer to take images and videos of the user so that they can be uploaded to the Internet
Internet languages
HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language) -- the language used to make basic pages. It allows for the insertion of scripts from other languages so that it can be expanded not just to simple web pages
Java -- a language that has code that can be written and compiled on one computer and sent off and run on a remote computer that may have a different system or platform
CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) -- used to describe the formatting within a markup language (e.g. HTML)
Javascript -- a language that allows for basic scripting within a web page
Netiquette -- etiquette (social rules) that exist for communication over a network. The rules include general rules against off-topic posting, hacking, multi-posting, spamming, etc.
Intranet -- a large network that is local to one or more areas (i.e. doesn't expand globally). These can be used by businesses, schools, and other organizations that have information that should not be leaked onto the Internet
URL (Uniform Resource Locator) -- a line of text that allows for the location of one and only one page on an internet. It typically consists of either a Domain name or IP address followed by a navigation to an individual page
Hyperlink -- a piece of text that, when clicked on, takes the user from one page to another
Bandwidth -- a limitation as to how much data can be transferred per unit of time across a cable, to/from the Internet, etc.
WWW (World Wide Web) -- the first browser for the World Wide Web
Browser -- a software program that allows for the retrival of information from an internet and the display of that information. It typically allows for several languages such as HTML, CSS, Javascript, and many others
Search Engine -- a web tool that caches a list of web pages along with their key words and contained information so that it can be searched later
E-mail -- a tool that allows for the composing of text, images, and other digital information to be sent from one computer to another
2.3.1 The Internet SNYDER
Students must study and evaluate the social and ethical issues involved in the use of the Internet. These may include:
• reliability and authenticity of information
• social consequences of addiction to the Internet
• social impact of global viruses
• social impact of dependence on the Internet
• etiquette rules for appropriate behaviour when using the Internet
• social impact of the domination of English as the main web language
• social impact of theft of identity through the Internet
• social impact of open access to unsuitable material on the Internet
• ethical issues related to misuse of the Internet, for example, spamming
• ethical considerations of IT-rich versus IT-poor nations as a result of differing access
• ethical considerations relating to the use of encryption
• ethical considerations relating to workplace monitoring.
In order to study and evaluate the social and ethical issues involved in the use of the Internet, the student must have an understanding of related technological concepts. These may include:
• key terms—Internet protocols, for example, HTTP, FTP, TCP/IP, cookies, listserv, web cam, Internet languages, netiquette, Intranet, URL, hyperlink, bandwidth, WWW, browser, search engine, e-mail
• means for blocking access to information
• features of a web browser
• comparison of Internet and Intranet
• encryption methods
• the limiting effect of bandwidth
• e-mail
• viruses
• features of a web page
• global databases
• online services, e-commerce, banking, health, libraries
• use of appropriate search engines.